Patents Examined by J. A Shriver
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Patent number: 7428762Abstract: A telescoping folding platform that is compact in the retracted and folded configuration and that is made rigid and locked in the unfolded and extended configuration by means of spring biased securements that are incorporated into the structures of the platform. The platform can be given numerous utilitarian embodiments by means of attachments that are locked in place in securements that are incorporated into the structures of the platform. When the attachments are wheels and a drawbar the platform is configured as a cart which has particular utility in off the road emergency rescue situations.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2005Date of Patent: September 30, 2008Inventor: Kevin Kalies
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Patent number: 7370888Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided that utilize a fluid to affect accumulations of water on a road surface in a path of a vehicle. The fluid can be water or an air-water mixture in the environment of the vehicle. A tire is used to gather the fluid. A structure, such as a fender, is disposed adjacent to the tire to focus the fluid that has been gathered by the tire into a spray. The spray is projected ahead of the tire to reduce the depth of, or substantially dissipate, the accumulations of water.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2004Date of Patent: May 13, 2008Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLCInventor: Francis J. Byrne
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Patent number: 7347432Abstract: A child walker is provided that includes a frame having a plurality of wheels. The walker includes a handle that is positionable in a first position and a second position. A seat is attached to the frame when the handle is in the first position. When the handle is in the second position, it is positioned to be gripped by a standing child.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2005Date of Patent: March 25, 2008Assignee: Kolcraft Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Peter Jonathan Myers, Thomas N. Koltun, Abdelkrim Bedja
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Patent number: 7344155Abstract: A power wheelchair is provided having one or more anti-tip wheels for stabilizing the movement of the frame about the drive wheels. An anti-tip wheel is attached to the end of a suspension arm which is pivotally attached to the frame of the wheelchair. A spring resiliently supports the anti-tip wheel in a neutral position relative to the ground upon which the drive wheels of the wheelchair normal ride. A retaining system selectively fixes position of the anti-tip wheels relative to the frame. The retaining system employs a plurality of teeth, with one portion disposed in combination with said suspension arm, and at least one other tooth disposed for engaging said one portion to provide unidirectional retention of the position of said suspension arm relative to the frame. The engagement of the teeth to lock the position of the suspension arm may be responsive to the torque generated by the motor.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2005Date of Patent: March 18, 2008Assignee: Pride Mobility Products CorporationInventors: James P. Mulhern, Ronald J. Levi, George Lewis Leitner, Jr.
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Patent number: 7331593Abstract: To provide a rear wheel fender structure for motorcycles, which can be molded with a simplified and inexpensive mold assembly even where the rear wheel finder is so designed and so structured as to permit component parts to be fitted thereto and as to block the splashing of water and/or mud, the rear wheel fender structure 27 is positioned above the motorcycle rear wheel 14 and includes an upper fender 39 and a lower fender 40 secured to a bottom region of the upper fender 39. An adiabatic space 99 is preferably formed between the upper fender 39 and the lower fender 40.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2006Date of Patent: February 19, 2008Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhisa Okabe, Hideo Beppu, Yukinori Fujimoto, Katsuji Fujii
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Patent number: 7328905Abstract: A tool organizer is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the tool organizer comprises a frame and a plurality of wheels attached to the frame. The frame includes an upper frame component and a lower frame component. The upper and lower frame components are connected by at least one hinge and are moveable with respect to one another between a folded and an unfolded configuration. The tool organizer also includes a tool storage structure supported by the frame. The tool storage structure comprising a plurality of storage panels, each storage panel comprises at least one tool fastener for securing a specific tool. The plurality of storage panels are movable with respect to one another between a closed configuration and an open configuration.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2005Date of Patent: February 12, 2008Inventor: Edward G. Guirlinger
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Patent number: 7320474Abstract: A device for binding a boot to a cross-country ski, the device fixing the front of the boot to the ski while allowing the rear of the boot to move relative to the ski between a low position and a high position. The device includes an elastic return system for applying an elastic return force to return the boot to the low position, and an elastic abutment operable at the end of travel of the boot toward the high position.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2005Date of Patent: January 22, 2008Assignee: Salomon S.A.Inventors: Jacques Quellais, Bruno Lancon
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Patent number: 7311318Abstract: A wheel is provided for a conveyance such as a skateboard. The wheel is generally cylindrical in form with a tread surface defining a portion of the wheel adapted to contact an underlying surface upon which the wheel is rotatably supported. The tread surface includes a circumferential trough therein dividing the tread surface into a pair of crests circumscribing the wheel on each side of the trough.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2006Date of Patent: December 25, 2007Inventor: Shelby A. Funk
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Patent number: 7306243Abstract: A multipurpose cooler for storing and transporting items includes a cooler body having an insulated interior and an exterior; a lid connected to the cooler body to permit selective access to the interior; a basket having three walls and a bottom and being slidably connected to the cooler body to slide between a fully extended position forming, with the cooler body, a basket cavity for storing and transporting items and a fully retracted position wherein the basket cavity is substantially nonexistent.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2004Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Inventors: Peter Van Horn, Franklin Ray McCarty
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Patent number: 7303197Abstract: The innovative apparatus is a portable and convertible golf club bag that combines the usefulness of a conventional golf club bag with that of a golf bag pull cart and a golf club stand. In each configuration, the apparatus would capably serve the function intended. The apparatus would allow a golfer to elect to place the golf bag upon a conventional riding golf cart to ride during a round, to convert it to a golf bag with a pull cart for walking the course, or to select a stationary stand position for practicing. All components necessary to convert the apparatus for each task and configuration would be integral to the apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2006Date of Patent: December 4, 2007Inventor: Charles E. Searle
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Patent number: 7300061Abstract: A sulky that includes a platform having a top and a bottom, a connector disposed upon a front of the platform, at least three wheels disposed upon the bottom of the platform in a wheel arrangement such that the connector is zero-weight bearing, and a seat disposed upon the top of the platform. A hinged platform extension provides added stability.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2005Date of Patent: November 27, 2007Inventor: Michael J. Omstead
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Patent number: 7296806Abstract: The invention relates to a pallet truck comprising a lifting device, which is mounted on the axle of two wheels, and having a supporting frame, which is mounted on two rollers, provided with two bearers and is displaceably connected to the lifting device. The lifting device has a lifting pump mounted on a console which is placed on a support that is, in turn, mounted on the axle extending between both wheels. A rod is mounted on the lifting pump, and the lifting pump has a piston rod whose head projects upwardly out of the housing of the lifting pump. A roller is mounted at the rear end of each bearer, and the bearers are connected to one another at the front end via a crossbar. A holding frame having a socket is provided on the front end of the bearers and is mounted in an articulated manner on the head of the piston rod. A two-armed linkage is mounted on both sides of the console.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2003Date of Patent: November 20, 2007Assignee: Borrmann GmbHInventor: Hans-Peter Borrmann
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Patent number: 7281597Abstract: A shield (20) for an automotive vehicle (10) is provided to lessen the impact force to a foreign body by absorbing energy or converting energy from the foreign body with the shield (20). The shield (20) has a ramped surface (22), an inner surface (24), and a periphery (26) delineating the inner surface (24) from the ramped surface (22). The inner surface (24) is further refined into an upper area (28) and a lower area (30), where a ridge (32) extends from the inner surface (24) portioning the upper area (28) from the lower area (30). At least one rib (34) is connected to the ridge (32) and extends from the inner surface (24), whereby the ridge (32) or the rib (34) may absorb energy or divert direct contact into sliding contact when the ramped surface (22) is impacted by a foreign body reducing the impact force upon the foreign body. Also, a method of using a shield (20) in an automotive vehicle 10 is provided.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2004Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Robert Pellillo, Wei Wang, Kumar Mahadevan, Jiamaw Doong
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Patent number: 7275753Abstract: During recovery of a disabled motor vehicle, a towing dolly cradle assembly can be used to raise and carry an end of the vehicle. The towing dolly cradle assembly comprises two towing dolly assemblies spaced apart parallel to one another and with each dolly assembly having a horizontal main tube and each dolly assembly attached respectively along one of its longitudinal sides to an end of each of the two dolly axle assemblies interposed perpendicularly between the two dolly assemblies. The attachment of the two dolly assemblies to the two axle assemblies forms a generally rectangular towing dolly cradle assembly. In each dolly assembly, two pivot mounting assemblies are attached to the main tube with one mounting assembly at or near each end of the tube. Each mounting assembly has a spindle and a wheel assembly mounted to the spindle on the longitudinal side of the tube away from the interposed and attached dolly axle assemblies.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2006Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Assignee: Rimco, Inc.Inventors: Charles J. Ceccarelli, Kevin B. Haight
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Patent number: 7273216Abstract: A welding tank cart system for providing efficient transportation of welding tanks and welding supplies. The welding tank cart system includes a frame, a pair of side wheels, a wheel support connected to the frame, and a front wheel connected to the wheel support, wherein the front wheel is comprised of a swivel wheel. A tray is pivotally connected within the frame to provide for self-leveling regarding of the attitude of the frame. A chain crank is connected to the frame for tightening a chain structure about the welding tanks.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2006Date of Patent: September 25, 2007Inventor: Harlan W. Hohrman
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Patent number: 7270205Abstract: A vehicle drive device 20 is composed of an electric motor 20a, a differential gear 20d for distributing and transmitting the drive power from the electric motor 20a to right and left drive wheels, and a clutch 20c for making intermittent the coupling capable of transmitting the drive power between the differential gear 20d side and the electric motor 20a side. The clutch 20c is of the type having a self-locking function and is arranged coaxially of the differential gear 20d at one side of the differential gear 20d.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2003Date of Patent: September 18, 2007Assignee: JTEKT CorporationInventors: Toshifumi Sakai, Naoyuki Sakai, Akihiro Ohno, Hiroshi Takuno, Hiroshi Kushino
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Patent number: 7252165Abstract: A hybrid electric propulsion system for powering a vehicle using a natural fuel engine and an electric motor. The hybrid electric vehicle is comprised of a drive train; an electric motor for driving the drive train; an auxiliary power unit (APU); an electric energy storage system electrically coupled to the electric motor; and wherein the auxiliary power unit and the electric energy storage system provide energy for powering the vehicle. An electric bus is directly connected to both the auxiliary power unit and the electric energy source and the voltage across the electric bus is substantially the same as the voltage across the electric energy source so that a change in voltage of the electric bus results in the same change to the voltage across the electric energy source. A power management controller is programmed to control output power of the power unit to maintain the energy storage system between a predetermined high voltage set-point and a predetermined low voltage set-point.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2006Date of Patent: August 7, 2007Assignee: Bowling Green State UniversityInventors: Robert Gruenwald, Jeff T. Major, Anthony J. Palumbo